Tick prevention for dogs: what owners should know

Tick prevention for dogs helps reduce the risk of tick-borne diseases, heavy infestations, and other complications from tick bites. Some tick-prevention treatments can be dangerous, so it is important to get a vet-recommended oral or topical treatment that is safe and effective. Read on to learn:

• What types of tick prevention are available for dogs
• How tick treatments work
• Why ticks can be dangerous

Aside from leaving a sore that can take a couple of weeks to heal, most tick bites on dogs are harmless. However, ticks can sometimes spread dangerous diseases such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Tick prevention works by killing ticks quickly, ideally before they have been attached long enough to spread disease. The best tick prevention will depend on a dog’s lifestyle, overall risk of exposure, and the pet parent’s preference.

There are multiple kinds of tick-prevention products available for dogs. A dog’s lifestyle, where they live, and the pet owner’s preference all affect the decision on which tick-prevention product is the best fit. “Ticks and tick-borne diseases are more of a risk in certain regions of North America than in others,” explains Dr. Jo Myers, a veterinarian on Vetster. “The risk also goes up during early spring and late fall, when ticks are more actively looking for a host. Talk to a veterinarian to learn more about what tick species and diseases are a concern in your area. Professional guidance is also the best way to make sure you choose a product that is both safe and effective in your unique situation.”

It’s important to follow the directions on parasite control products closely and give them as directed. Never split doses, and always use the right dosage for your dog’s weight and age. Overdosing or using prevention with young puppies can be dangerous, and doses that are too low for a dog’s weight may be ineffective.

Oral medications

Oral parasite-control medications are preferred by many veterinarians for their efficacy, safety, and convenience. Oral tick preventatives are usually given monthly as a pill or treat and contain safe pesticides that kill ticks quickly after they bite a dog. Tick-borne illnesses are not spread immediately after an infected tick attaches, so products that kill them quickly help prevent the spread of disease. Oral tick preventatives do not repel ticks, so dog owners may still find ticks on their pets even when using an effective product. Many oral tick preventatives are broad-spectrum and also provide protection against fleas and other parasites.

Most oral tick-prevention medications require a prescription and can be more expensive, especially when compared with over-the-counter products that aren’t as safe or effective. It’s essential to give them as directed and on time. They are not effective if they have been spit out or vomited up, and being late with a dose can leave your dog vulnerable in the meantime. Side effects are uncommon and usually no more serious than a mild, temporary upset stomach. They’re not a good choice for dogs with seizure disorders, however, because they may lead to increased seizure activity.

Topical treatments

Topical tick-control products kill ticks quickly, often before they have time to bite. Depending on the ingredients, some topical tick-prevention medications may also repel ticks. Topical products, or “spot-on” treatments, are usually oily liquids that are placed on the skin between the shoulder blades every month. Many topical tick-prevention medications are broad-spectrum and provide protection against flea infestations and other internal and external parasites.

It may not be safe to use topical products in households with cats or small children, as they can be dangerous if touched or accidentally ingested before they dry. Swimming or bathing can decrease the effectiveness of topicals. Some pet parents dislike the smell or oily residue of topical solutions. In some dogs, topical medications can cause skin irritation where they have been applied.

Tick collars

In addition to spot-on treatments, tick collars are another way to apply topical pesticides to your dog’s skin to repel and/or kill ticks. Some collars also help repel or kill fleas and may last multiple months. There are very few tick collars that are safe, effective, and convenient enough to be recommended by veterinarians.

Tick collars need to be tight enough to have contact with the skin, and some may cause localized skin irritation. The concentration of the pesticide is highest near the collar, and may be too low to be effective on the dog’s extremities, especially on bigger dogs. Collars can be toxic if they are chewed on and may not be safe to use around cats or small children.

Yard management

Managing the outdoor space around a home may help limit a dog’s exposure to ticks. Yard management tips to help limit nearby tick populations include:

• Cutting back long grass and brush
• Adding fences and plants to repel tick-carrying wildlife, such as deer
• Treating the yard with pet-safe tick sprays and pesticides
• Cleaning up leaf litter
• Creating a 3-foot barrier using wood chips or gravel between your yard and any surrounding wildlands

Ticks search for hosts from long grass and brush rather than by dropping from trees, so limiting these areas in the yard can help limit the number of ticks. Avoiding grassy or brushy areas, leaf litter, or areas frequented by wildlife away from the home can also help limit a dog’s exposure to ticks. Yard management is best used alongside regular tick prevention and is not a replacement for vet-recommended tick-prevention treatment.

Vet-recommended tick-prevention products contain dog-safe pesticides that either repel or kill ticks quickly. Some products kill ticks on contact, while others kill ticks quickly after they have bitten the dog. It takes a few hours up to several days for an infected tick to transmit a disease depending on the type of tick and specific illness, so killing ticks quickly helps lower the risk of disease transmission. Not all ticks carry disease, and most tick bites are harmless. However, tick-borne diseases can be deadly, and heavy infestations can lead to anemia, especially in very small dogs.

Does tick prevention prevent tick bites?

Many tick-prevention products do not prevent bites but kill ticks quickly after a bite. This helps reduce the risk of tick-borne illness by killing a tick before it has a chance to spread the disease. However, it is important to still perform tick checks on dogs after they may have been exposed to ticks to remove them quickly.

The best natural way to protect your dog from ticks is to limit their exposure by avoiding tick habitat and taking steps to make your yard less inviting to ticks, especially during early spring and late fall when ticks are most actively searching for a host. When choosing something to use on your dog, natural products and home remedies aren’t proven to work and some can be dangerous to use on or around dogs. Conventional, vet-recommended tick prevention is safe for the vast majority of dogs.

Not all ticks carry disease, but tick-borne illnesses can be very dangerous if transmitted to dogs or people. Tick-borne diseases include:

• Lyme disease
• Ehrlichiosis
• Anaplasmosis
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Babesiosis (piroplasmosis)
• Bartonella Infection (cat scratch fever)

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness, and a vaccine is available for dogs. Talk to a veterinarian about your dog’s risk and whether they would benefit from the Lyme disease vaccine.

Ticks are a serious health concern for humans as well as for dogs. There are no tick-prevention products for humans like there are for dogs. While most tick bites on humans occur outdoors in tick habitats, the use of canine tick prevention may help reduce the risk of dogs carrying infected ticks indoors, where they can bite humans and other pets. Brown dog ticks are a common tick species in North America that can infest indoor spaces and homes if they are not killed by tick prevention. It is recommended that all dog parents use year-round tick prevention and check their dog for ticks after being in areas that ticks heavily inhabit.

Online veterinary professionals are available 24/7 for virtual vet appointments if you would like to learn about the best type of prevention for your dog and your dog’s overall risk. Professionals are also available to help you safely remove a tick from your dog if you need guidance.

Are the ticks that dogs bring home dangerous to humans?

Ticks that dogs bring indoors can be dangerous to people. Ticks generally stay on a host unless they are dislodged or get full and fall off. Ticks may also drop off prematurely if the dog is on a repellent. If a tick leaves the dog before it is finished feeding, it can potentially find and bite a human or other pet in the home in its efforts to keep eating.

Ticks that dogs bring indoors may carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans, but using tick prevention that kills ticks rapidly makes it unlikely that a tick that your dog brought home will be harmful to you.

If your dog is infected with a tick-borne illness, you cannot catch a tick-borne illness directly from them. Just like dogs, humans get tick-borne diseases by being bitten by an infected tick. When a dog develops a tick-borne illness, that lets you know there are infected ticks in your area. This is especially significant if the tick-borne illness can also affect people and you go to the same places your dog does.

How can I prevent my dog from getting ticks?

The best way to prevent tick bites is to limit a dog’s exposure to ticks by avoiding tick habitats and maintaining your yard. Ticks live in tall grass, brush, leaf litter, and areas frequented by wildlife. Most tick preventatives do not repel ticks or prevent bites. Instead, they kill a tick quickly after it has bitten a dog to reduce the risk of tick-borne disease.

What keeps ticks away from dogs?

Some tick collars repel ticks, but most over-the-counter collars are not safe or effective. To keep ticks away from dogs, avoid areas where ticks live, such as long grass, brush, leaf litter, and areas with wildlife. Keeping grass and brush short in the yard can also reduce exposure to ticks.

Can I control my dog’s ticks naturally?

No natural tick-prevention products have evidence to support that they work at keeping ticks away from dogs, and no natural products kill ticks after they bite. Only vet-recommended tick prevention safely kills ticks to prevent the spread of disease. To reduce exposure to ticks, avoid long grass, leaf litter, and brushy areas, areas frequented by wildlife, and maintain your yard.